Fraudster's $4.8m home detention

Shaan Stevens' $4.8 million house in Sovereign Point where he's been sentenced to home detention for the next 10 months. Photo / www.sovereignpoint.co.nz

A tax agent sentenced to home detention for fraud will enjoy panoramic views of Wellington harbour from his $4.8 million home as he serves his time.

Shaan Stevens, 49, was today sentenced to 10 months' home detention, 150 hours' community service and ordered to repay $121,851.98 to his victims.

Stevens had earlier pleaded guilty to seven charges of falsifying documents, 13 charges of being a party to falsifying documents, one charge of falsifying income tax returns and one charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The former Wellington Free Ambulance chairman was an executive director of consultancy firm Guinness Gallagher and a member of the Victoria University council. He created false invoices to five clients to obtain $68,200 over the course of five years.

Judge Denys Barry ordered Stevens to serve his sentence at his home at 11 Sovereign Point, Kaiwharawhara, Wellington.

The property has an RV of $4.8m - and an annual rates demand of $21,326.76.

The 1889 sq m section accounts for only $570,000 of the RV, with the rest of the value being in the 685 sq m home.

The house was designed by architect Greg Lockett and built in 2006 - when the average size of a new home was 209 sq m.

It is for sale and featured in last Saturday's Dominion Post property section as "The Trophy House'', made of "the best-quality materials and the finest finishes to be found''.

"Grandstanding over five levels with lift access'', the home has six bedrooms, five bathrooms and four-car garaging.

"Always the game plan was to build something outstanding, to use the very best quality in product and materials with clever handling of space, as well as all the leading technology - providing an opportunity for talent and brilliance to emerge,'' the ad read.

"This house is the prize for a game well played.''

Stevens' victims may beg to differ.

The house has been on the market since January, and Judge Barry ordered Stevens to repay the $121,851.98 owed to his clients within 28 days of it selling.

If it did not sell, he must repay the money by May 7, 2013.